Pensioners across Northern Ireland have also expressed concerns over plans to bring back prescription charges and waiting times for GP appointments in "damning" assessment of the NHS

Some of the most vulnerable members of society have expressed concerns over their safety in Northern Ireland’s hospitals, a shock new report has revealed.

Pensioners across Northern Ireland have also raised concerns over home care packages, GP appointments and proposals to bring back prescription charges in Northern Ireland in a report launched today by the Northern Ireland Pensioners Parliament.

Respondents to the survey said they would have to cut back on essentials or stop taking vital medication if the Department of Health presses ahead with plans to charge for prescriptions.

Age Sector Platform, the charity responsible for the Pensioners Parliament, has described the report as “damning”.

It said the findings illustrate the health and social care provision is getting worse - despite ambitious plans for reform.

Another elderly patient said: “No pensioner should have to pay for any prescription, as it will result in more deaths as some will not get vital medication as they will not be able to afford it.”

Robert Hasson from Age Sector Platform said: “The fact that more than one in three older people would not feel safe in hospital if they were very ill is an indictment of the health service here.

Robert Hasson from Age Sector Platform

“But concerns are not confined to acute care - with three out of four older people describing time allocated for domiciliary care as inadequate, and three out of four finding it harder to get an appointment with their GP compared to five years’ ago.

“These findings should be the basis for decisions made in relation to providing health and social care in future – they represent the voices of older people; the biggest users of the health and social care service here.”

The report has been published less than a week after it emerged health bosses are planning to close a number of care homes across Northern Ireland.

Mr Hasson said premature decisions made in relation to care homes in the past has contributed to a feeling of mistrust among pensioners.

He said that health officials must engage in genuine and meaningful consultations in future.

He continued: “Recently there have been proposals to reintroduce prescription charges in Northern Ireland.

“Our research shows that the vast majority of older people do not agree with paying for medication.

“Furthermore, if forced to pay they would cut back on other essentials or pick and choose between prescriptions.

The consequences of these actions could be disastrous for the health and wellbeing of an older person - and will of course cause further financial implications for an already stretched hospital service.”

The report launch coincides with the hosting of the Pensioners Parliament on health and social care in Belfast today.

The event will see more than 150 older people from across Northern Ireland coming together to discuss their concerns, listen to healthcare professionals and question a political panel of MLAs.

“Our research is a damning assessment of the current state of our health and social care service,” said Mr Hasson.

“It is clear that change is needed to address the current problems; and with an ageing population there is an urgency to ensure these services meet the needs of people as they grow older.”